House-elf
House-elf or just an elf were magical humanoids that were able to communicate and use magic. House-elves were able to use magic but with a different mechanism with wizards and witches.
House-elf had a special habit or culture of feeling gratitude to serve a master. Serving a master was a purpose of life and an honor for a house-elf.
This unique trait and culture of house-elves weren’t established by taming or domination on them. Yet, house-elves were severely abused in a witch or wizard’s perspective by their masters.
House-elf were often bound to a family or establishments where they would serve for their whole life until they were freed.
Grant of freedom yet was considered an insult in a house-elf cultural aspect as blind loyalty to a master was a moral code between the house-elves.
House elves although were small in size and were often under control of a master, withheld very powerful magical abilities which mostly were used for house-hold tasks or errands of their masters.
Obedience without question to their master was the dominant moral code and purpose for the house-elf. Although if the house-elf was dissatisfied, it might search for a loophole of its master’s orders, but a house-elf would never disobey its master’s orders by nature.
Due to their nature, house elves were often severely abused by their masters and there were attempts to legislate an act to protect house-elf rights.
Adversely, the house-elf community didn’t welcome this house-elf legislation act as they sought it as a disgrace of their honor in serving their master.
House-elves would wear cloths from leftovers of rags, mops etc and wouldn’t even launder them as a symbol of their obedience to their master. House-elves even took payments in reward of their service as a great insult as well.
Giving any kind piece of clothing meant to a house-elf meant that the master granted freedom to a house-elf. This was the most dreadful event that could happen to a house-elf in their culture while there were unusual house-elves.
Release of a house-elf by a master was the worst insult that a house-elf could ever face in their culture.
Knockturn Alley
While Diagon alley directly bordered the muggle word by the Leaky Cauldron, Knockturn Alley was clearly cutoff from the muggle world.
Even ordinary witches and wizards avoided Knockturn Alley as it was the black market of the Britain wizardry world full of mischief. Knockturn Alley was located next to Diagon Alley.
Among the mysterious underworld of the wizardry society, Borgin and Burkes of Knockturn Alley was the most peculiar market among them all.
Harry Potter ended up in Knockturn Alley as he didn’t properly pronounce Diagon Alley while using floo powder. He ended up in Borgin and Burkes where he overheard the conversation between Mr. Borgin and the Malfoys.
Eventually he was stuck in the middle of some suspicious witches and wizards but luckily Harry was escorted by Hagrid. Hagrid claimed that he was looking for flesh-eating slug repellents in Knockturn Alley but who knows.
Borgin and Burkes
Caractacus Burke and Mr. Borgin owned the antique shop Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley. It was named after their names.
Borgin and Burkes also provided services as a pawn shop where it would exchange money and rare items. Borgin and Burkes possessed many unique magical items but it was also most infamous for its possession of objects associated with dark magic.
Lucius Malfoy takes a visit with Draco Malfoy to Borgin and Burkes as he tried to sell some possessions associated with the dark arts. Lucius Malfoy tried to sell these items to prepare for an inspection by the Ministry of Magic due to the new Muggle Protection Act that Arthur Weasley has legislated.
The Ministry of Magic were conducting surprise raids to search if there were magical items associated with the dark arts that could harm muggles.
Mr. Borgin took some items from Lucius Malfoy but he had an eye for objects that dwell with powerful magic. He lurks for the Diary of Tom Riddle but Lucius Malfoy refuses as he had different plans for it.
Hand of Glory – the hand that grabbed Harry Potter
The hand like object that grabbed Harry Potter in Borgin and Burkes was called the Hand of Glory. The Hand of Glory function was to provide light of the luminant source it holds only to the owner.
Thieves would use this as a torch as they could conceal themselves in the dark while they could use light undetected. Lucius Malfoy was therefore disgusted when Draco Malfoy was interested in the Hand of Glory as he thought it was only for thieves.
Mudblood
Mudblood was a swear word in the wizarding world that referred to muggle born or half-blood wizard and witches of other species. It was often used by pure-blood families to claim the supremacy of pure-blooded witches and wizards.
The term literally meant that blood was dirty. The dispute of the discrimination between wizards, witches and muggles and the supremacy of pure-blood started off from Salazar Slytherin’s dispute with the other three founders of Hogwarts as he wanted to only accept pure-blooded wizards and witches to Hogwarts.
It wasn’t more of supremacy that Salazar Slytherin claimed back then but it developed to pure-blood supremacy over the years.
Draco Malfoy insulted Hermione Granger a mudblood which Ron tried to take revenge but Ron’s spell backfired because his broken wand was out of control.
Board of Governors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
A total of twelve witches or wizards were appointed as the Board of Governors for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Lucius Malfoy became the chairman of the Board of Governors in 1992 where Harry Potter was in his second grade of Hogwarts.
The Board of Governors had to authority to decide the headmaster of Hogwarts so they did hold a lot of power. Lucius Malfoy had to threaten the rest of the eleven members when he attempted to overthrow
Albus Dumbledore for the responsibility of the incidents over the Chamber of Secrets reopening. Lucius Malfoy was eventually overthrown after the truth of the Chamber of Secrets was revealed.
Nimbus 2001 – Draco Malfoy and the Slytherin Quidditch team
Basically, Draco Malfoy bought his way into the Slytherin House Quidditch team as Lucius Malfoy bought the whole Slytherin Quidditch team Nimbus 2001 brooms.
The Nimbus Racing Broom Company designed the Nimbus 2001 which was an upgraded version of the Nimbus 2000 that Harry Potter received from Professor McGonagall.
Although, Draco Malfoy joined the Slytherin House Quidditch team as the new seeker, the captain of Slytherin House Quidditch team Marcus Flint was furious of Draco’s lack of ability as he missed the golden snitch that was right above Draco’s head.
Floo powder
Floo powder was a much more stable travel or transportation method than Apparition. Apparition was a very difficult magic that even required a license as it could lead to serious safety accidents.
Floo powder could transfer a witch or wizard to any fireplace that was connected to the floo powder network called the Floo Network.
All the wizard or witch had to do was pronounce their destination correctly. Floo Network and Floo powder was also a communication device faster than owl delivery.
However, travel by floo powder was only possible if the location was connected to the Floo Network. Approval by the British Ministry of Magic to connect a location to the Floo Network was mandatory as it would allow an access point to any location that the Floo Network was connected to.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry didn’t allow transportation as it wasn’t linked with the Floo Network in terms of transportation. However, communication by Floo powder was allowed in Hogwarts. The heavy defense enchantments disavowed travel by floo powder within Hogwarts.
